Darlington's Paul Swift warmed up for his assault on the British championship with a convincing win in Hartlepool and District MC's Fast Snacks Autotest on Sunday.

Swift was the only national title contender on show at the Hartlepool Town Centre car park and it was always going to be a case of how big his winning margin would be rather than if he would finish top of the pile.

And Swift, who along with mechanic Lee Addison has spent all winter working on his impressive-looking 1430cc Mini Special, romped to a 95-second win over Mini driver Carl Sams.

He picked up a five-second penalty for putting three wheels over a line in the very first test, but from then on Swift was in faultless form.

His next event is the first round of the Demon Tweeks Direct BTRDA national championship at Curborough on February 24 - and he will go there with a feeling of confidence.

"This was meant to be a shake-down before the start of the national championships," he said. "It has gone well. I can't think of anything that is out of place.

"It will be different when the pressure is on but I am pleased with how the car has gone.

"I moved the battery to the other side of the car to balance it out more and I had much more grip away from the start."

Swift was at the wheel of one of two Mini Specials on display - the other belonging to Thornaby's Phil Mayne, who finished sixth overall and third in the Mini class.

It was only the car's second outing although, as Mayne explained, he won't be its only driver this year.

"The first time I used it, the handbrake cable broke," explained the experienced Mayne, who began building the Mini last December, "and I had some problems with the clutch this time.

"But you need to test things out and I'm pretty happy with it.

"I've built it for my son John, who's 17, really - but you know what dads are like. They can't resist having a go!"